Friday, October 6, 2023
Barry Jenkins Screening Room
12:00 - 7:00pm
Available to Full Festival Pass Holders Only
The exceptional filmmaking of Barry Jenkins is amplified during [at] The Intersection: The Apollo’s Festival of Arts and Ideas. Festival pass holders are invited to experience Jenkins’ work at The Barry Jenkins Screening Room where three of his films will be screened to prepare audiences for his conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates on Saturday, kicking off our first day of conversations, keynotes and panels.
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Medicine for Melancholy
Medicine for Melancholy, written and directed by Barry Jenkins is his feature directorial debut. The film chronicles the one-day romance of Micah and Jo, two black twenty-somethings who have a one-night stand and end up spending a full day and night together despite Jo's long-distance relationship with a wealthy white gallery owner. (88 minutes)
1:45 PM - 3:45 PM
If Beale Street Could Talk
If Beale Street Could Talk, is based on James Baldwin's 1974 novel of
the same name. The film follows a young woman who, with her family's support, seeks to clear the name of her wrongly charged lover and prove his innocence before the birth of their child.It stars an ensemble cast that includes KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Ed Skrein, Brian Tyree Henry, and Regina King. (117 minutes)
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Moonlight
Moonlight, released in 2016, unexpectedly won the Academy Award for best picture. Based on the unpublished play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney, it tells the story of a young Black man coming to grips with his attraction to other men. It was the first film with an entirely African American cast and the first with a gay main character to win the top Oscar. Barry Jenkins, won praise for his empathetic depiction of complex characters. (111 minutes)
11:05 AM - 11:15 AM
Opening Remarks
Kamilah Forbes, Executive Producer, The Apollo and Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Apollo’s Artist in Residence
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
In Retrospect: Barry Jenkins
Ta-Nehisi Coates sits down with Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins for a conversation about maintaining authenticity in storytelling, how cultural and creative agency manifests in Jenkins’ art making, and what stories he wants to tell next.
Barry Jenkins has directed critically-acclaimed features including, Medicine for Melancholy, Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk, and the award-winning television series The Underground Railroad. Jenkins’ upcoming work includes the 2024 theatrical release of Mufasa: The Lion King.
12:05 PM - 12:20 PM
Performance: Peter Collins
New York-born, Newark-raised singer and songwriter Peter Collins started singing at 7 and has been going nonstop ever since. A self-taught guitarist and Apollo Music Café alum, Peter began building his career in music by posting videos of himself covering songs on his social media accounts, and people instantly fell in love. He is now “working on music to express himself, glorify God, and inspire others.” And his brand of acoustic soul was captured in the form of an acoustic live set that has now been released as an EP.
12:25 PM - 12:40 PM
15 Minutes with Sage Adams
Sage Adams entered our consciousness when she became the creative director for multi-award-winning singer SZA at 19. A gender non-conforming artist and curator, Adams uses their platform to intentionally create work that is meant for more than just vanity but also to reflect the times.
12:45 PM - 1:30 PM
Reclaiming Black and Brown Identity in the Visual Arts
Historically, visual art has played a significant role in perpetuating and upholding Eurocentric beauty, aesthetics and morality standards. Black artists are flipping the script, reclaiming identity, upholding history, and elevating Blackness globally. Artist Bisa Butler, artist and scholar Dr. Fahamu Pecou, and Brooklyn Museum of Art Sills Foundation Curator of African Art Ernestine White-Mifetu discuss practice, messaging and impact.
Facilitator: Halima Taha
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Lunch
Food is available for purchase on-site, or visit Where to Eat.
Please note: Only food purchased on-site may be consumed on-site.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Sing! With Nia Drummond
Collective singing is one of the universal features of human musical cultures. Vocalist Nia Drummond talks vocal music, demonstrates her mastery of the craft, and engages the audience in a group sing-a-long.
Known for combining her jazz roots, operatic training, early gospel influence, and R&B stylings into a unique, “genre-fluid” sound, Nia Drummond has been described as a “moving and electrifying performer” by the Wall Street Journal. She recently went viral online when she serenaded Busta Rhymes on his birthday and brought him to tears.
3:05 PM - 3:20 PM
15 Minutes with Bridgit Antoinette Evans
Bridgit Antoinette Evans is an award-winning artist and thought leader in the narrative change field, innovating pop culture strategies to advance social justice. CEO of the Pop Culture Collaborative, Bridgit shares her perspectives on Black futures thinking as a social justice pathway and how it shows up worldwide.
3:25 PM - 3:55 PM
Future Forward: Art, Activism & Politics
Art, activism and politics have shared a common thread of being transformational for Black-Americans throughout our history in this country. During this session, we speak with two women who represent how new generations use art and activism tools to impact change. Chelsea Miller is one of the leading voices in racial justice and digital organizing. She is the Co-founder of Freedom March NYC, one of the country’s largest youth-led civil rights organizations. She is globally recognized for her ability to use social media to reach various audiences and build community.
Sumayyah Ali is the founder and CEO of Power Haus Creative. She empowers visual artists to utilize their influence for change in underserved communities. She gained international attention in 2019 for her strategic work coordinating #Kaeperbowl, a public art/activism initiative centered around muralist Fabian Williams and former NFL player Colin Kaepernick.
Facilitator: Jourdan Hicks
4:00 PM - 4:45 PM
Black Satirical Comedy: Finding Humor In the Absurd
Satirical Comedy examines and criticizes the absurdities of life through humor. In African-American culture, truth-telling through comedy and laughing to keep from crying is standard fare and has historically been part of the collective lexicon for multiple generations. Legendary comics such as Richard Pryor, Red Fox, Moms Mabley and Dick Gregory have all excelled in this area. Panelists Diallo Riddle, Bashir Salahuddin, Terence Nance, and Radha Blank will discuss the notion that finding joy and laughter in life’s complex realities, while hilarious, can be sobering.
Facilitator: Dr. Jalylah Burrell
4:45 PM - 5:00 PM
Break
5:00 PM - 5:15 PM
The Art of the Slay
The 1990 documentary Paris is Burning introduced many to New York’s underground Ballroom scene. More than three decades later, the Ballroom battleground continues to give life to those to whom it has been a lifeline in Black and Latino LGBTQ culture while expanding into the mainstream and giving understanding to the masses. Malakhi Eason curates a presentation that tells us about slayage and shows us how it’s done.
5:20 PM - 5:50 PM
Luvvie Ajayi Jones in Conversation with Eunique Jones Gibson
Four-time New York Times bestselling author, speaker and entrepreneur, Luvvie Ajayi Jones exists at the intersection of culture, business and leadership. A noted writer, she has contributed to several anthologies and has written for The New York Times, ELLE and Essence. In addition, her work has been featured in NPR, Forbes, Inc, and others. Luvvie sits down with Eunique Jones Gibson, founder of Because of Them We Can®, an award-winning campaign and digital platform reaching millions monthly as it uplifts and amplifies positive news. Launched in 2013 with a mission to empower the next generation to honor the legacy of their ancestors, the campaign featured photographs of adorable children channeling leaders, activists, and celebrities, past and present.
5:55 PM - 6:10 PM
Ta-Nehisi Coates Wrap Up
6:20 PM - 7:00 PM
Performance - Kamasi Washington and Ami Taf Ra
The Grammy and Emmy-nominated artist, composer and producer will debut a special collaboration project with the internationally renowned singer and songwriter Ami Taf Ra.This is the first project fully produced by Washington for another artist and was inspired by the mutual love and admiration shared with Ami Taf Ra of the great writer, poet, philosopher, and visual artist Khalil Gibran. They set his words to music to create a dialogue of sorts between Gibran's two inspiring works The Prophet and The Madman and created this body of music using Gibran’s words as a guide through the universe of sound. This special world premiere will not only celebrate the 100-year anniversary of The Prophet, but will also be Ami Taf Ra's debut performance in New York City.
11:00 AM - 11:05 AM
Apollo Welcome
Michelle Ebanks, President & CEO, The Apollo
11:05 AM - 11:15 AM
Opening Remarks
Kamilah Forbes, Executive Producer, The Apollo and Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Apollo’s Artist in Residence
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
In Retrospect: Barry Jenkins
Ta-Nehisi Coates sits down with Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins for a conversation about maintaining authenticity in storytelling, how cultural and creative agency manifests in Jenkins’ art making, and what stories he wants to tell next.
Barry Jenkins has directed critically-acclaimed features including, Medicine for Melancholy, Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk, and the award-winning television series The Underground Railroad. Jenkins’ upcoming work includes the 2024 theatrical release of Mufasa: The Lion King.
12:05 PM - 12:20 PM
Performance: Peter Collins
New York-born, Newark-raised singer and songwriter Peter Collins started singing at 7 and has been going nonstop ever since. A self-taught guitarist and Apollo Music Café alum, Peter began building his career in music by posting videos of himself covering songs on his social media accounts, and people instantly fell in love. He is now “working on music to express himself, glorify God, and inspire others.” And his brand of acoustic soul was captured in the form of an acoustic live set that has now been released as an EP.
12:25 PM - 12:40 PM
15 Minutes with Sage Adams
Sage Adams entered our consciousness when she became the creative director for multi-award-winning singer SZA at 19. A gender non-conforming artist and curator, Adams uses their platform to intentionally create work that is meant for more than just vanity but also to reflect the times.
12:45 PM - 1:30 PM
Reclaiming Black and Brown Identity in the Visual Arts
Historically, visual art has played a significant role in perpetuating and upholding Eurocentric beauty, aesthetics and morality standards. Black artists are flipping the script, reclaiming identity, upholding history, and elevating Blackness globally. Artist Bisa Butler, artist and scholar Dr. Fahamu Pecou, and Brooklyn Museum of Art Sills Foundation Curator of African Art Ernestine White-Mifetu discuss practice, messaging and impact.
Facilitator: Halima Taha
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Lunch
Food is available for purchase on-site, or visit Where to Eat.
Please note: Only food purchased on-site may be consumed on-site.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Sing! With Nia Drummond
Collective singing is one of the universal features of human musical cultures. Vocalist Nia Drummond talks vocal music, demonstrates her mastery of the craft, and engages the audience in a group sing-a-long.
Known for combining her jazz roots, operatic training, early gospel influence, and R&B stylings into a unique, “genre-fluid” sound, Nia Drummond has been described as a “moving and electrifying performer” by the Wall Street Journal. She recently went viral online when she serenaded Busta Rhymes on his birthday and brought him to tears.
3:05 PM - 3:20 PM
15 Minutes with Bridgit Antoinette Evans
Bridgit Antoinette Evans is an award-winning artist and thought leader in the narrative change field, innovating pop culture strategies to advance social justice. CEO of the Pop Culture Collaborative, Bridgit shares her perspectives on Black futures thinking as a social justice pathway and how it shows up worldwide.
3:25 PM - 3:55 PM
Future Forward: Art, Activism & Politics
Art, activism and politics have shared a common thread of being transformational for Black-Americans throughout our history in this country. During this session, we speak with two women who represent how new generations use art and activism tools to impact change. Chelsea Miller is one of the leading voices in racial justice and digital organizing. She is the Co-founder of Freedom March NYC, one of the country’s largest youth-led civil rights organizations. She is globally recognized for her ability to use social media to reach various audiences and build community.
Sumayyah Ali is the founder and CEO of Power Haus Creative. She empowers visual artists to utilize their influence for change in underserved communities. She gained international attention in 2019 for her strategic work coordinating #Kaeperbowl, a public art/activism initiative centered around muralist Fabian Williams and former NFL player Colin Kaepernick.
Facilitator: Jourdan Hicks
4:00 PM - 4:45 PM
Black Satirical Comedy: Finding Humor In the Absurd
Satirical Comedy examines and criticizes the absurdities of life through humor. In African-American culture, truth-telling through comedy and laughing to keep from crying is standard fare and has historically been part of the collective lexicon for multiple generations. Legendary comics such as Richard Pryor, Red Fox, Moms Mabley and Dick Gregory have all excelled in this area. Panelists Diallo Riddle, Bashir Salahuddin, Terence Nance, and Radha Blank will discuss the notion that finding joy and laughter in life’s complex realities, while hilarious, can be sobering.
Facilitator: Dr. Jalylah Burrell
4:45 PM - 5:00 PM
Break
5:00 PM - 5:15 PM
The Art of the Slay
The 1990 documentary Paris is Burning introduced many to New York’s underground Ballroom scene. More than three decades later, the Ballroom battleground continues to give life to those to whom it has been a lifeline in Black and Latino LGBTQ culture while expanding into the mainstream and giving understanding to the masses. Malakhi Eason curates a presentation that tells us about slayage and shows us how it’s done.
5:20 PM - 5:50 PM
Luvvie Ajayi Jones in Conversation with Eunique Jones Gibson
Four-time New York Times bestselling author, speaker and entrepreneur, Luvvie Ajayi Jones exists at the intersection of culture, business and leadership. A noted writer, she has contributed to several anthologies and has written for The New York Times, ELLE and Essence. In addition, her work has been featured in NPR, Forbes, Inc, and others. Luvvie sits down with Eunique Jones Gibson, founder of Because of Them We Can®, an award-winning campaign and digital platform reaching millions monthly as it uplifts and amplifies positive news. Launched in 2013 with a mission to empower the next generation to honor the legacy of their ancestors, the campaign featured photographs of adorable children channeling leaders, activists, and celebrities, past and present.
5:55 PM - 6:10 PM
Ta-Nehisi Coates Wrap Up
6:20 PM - 7:00 PM
Performance - Kamasi Washington and Ami Taf Ra
The Grammy and Emmy-nominated artist, composer and producer will debut a special collaboration project with the internationally renowned singer and songwriter Ami Taf Ra.This is the first project fully produced by Washington for another artist and was inspired by the mutual love and admiration shared with Ami Taf Ra of the great writer, poet, philosopher, and visual artist Khalil Gibran. They set his words to music to create a dialogue of sorts between Gibran's two inspiring works The Prophet and The Madman and created this body of music using Gibran’s words as a guide through the universe of sound. This special world premiere will not only celebrate the 100-year anniversary of The Prophet, but will also be Ami Taf Ra's debut performance in New York City.
Saturday, October 7, 2023
The Apollo’s Historic Theater
11:00am - 7:00pm
With Sounds Curated by DJ Stormin' Norman
The Apollo’s Soundstage will serve as a gathering spot for conversation and reflection and a place to recharge with food, beverages, and performances that will surprise and delight. Enjoy this relaxing space to connect with fellow festival goers and experience music, movement, & storytelling in an intimate setting.
12:30 PM
New Work and New Styles From Popular Poets & Writers
From the Nuyorican Poets Cafe to Def Poetry on Broadway, From Cave Canem to The New York Times bestselling list, Black Women poets stretch the cannon of Black literature beyond prose, verse, and across geographies. Enjoy the poetic storytelling of these veteran writers as they read from their debut books. Felice Belle reads from her long-awaited debut book of poetry, Viscera. Bassey Ikpi, reads from her New York Times bestselling novel I’m Telling the Truth but I’m Lying and a selection of works-in-progress.
1:30 PM
Film Short
2:30 PM
Let’s Move Together!
Harlem-based dance company Sydnie L. Mosley Dances is known for its interactive, community engagement of African Diasporic dance techniques. SLMDances incites us to move in between sessions as a response to what is seen and heard [at] The Intersection.
Seen and Heard [at] The Intersection
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Located on The Apollo’s Soundstage
Hosted by Jodine Dorce
Buy Tickets
Download the full Saturday schedule
12:00 PM - 12:05 PM
Apollo Welcome
Kamilah Forbes, Executive Producer, The Apollo
12:05 PM - 12:15 PM
Opening Remarks
Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Apollo’s Artist in Residence
12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
The Courage To Survive
Salamishah Tillet, Scheherazade Tillet, Ted Bunch
Facilitator: Jelani Cobb
35% percent of Black women experience some form of sexual violence during their lifetime. Journalists Jelani Cobb and Salamishah Tillet, Long Walk Home’s Scheherazade Tillet and A Call To Men’s Ted Bunch explore the role sexual exploitation plays in violence against Black communities, the harm that sexual abuse inflicts on those who live at the intersection of racism and sexism and what we can do to support victims of gender-based violence, prevent it, and build a better future.
12:55 PM - 1:25 PM
Performance - Stefon Harris
Always curious about the various aspects of human connection, award-winning jazz vibraphonist Stefon Harris developed software that allows audiences to improvise unpredictable harmony in tandem with artist-created melody and rhythm, resulting in a unique collaboration between audience members via the software and the artists. Stefon and a group of musicians demonstrate how the technology works. This project was developed as part of The Apollo’s New Works initiative.
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
Telling New Stories on Broadway
New stories and aspects of Black life are increasingly being represented on Broadway. Who can deny the fresh takes of Fat Ham, A Strange Loop, Skeleton Crew, Ain’t No Mo’ and Eclipsed? Broadway heavy hitters Liesl Tommy, Michael R. Jackson, Jordan E. Cooper and Dominique Morisseau discuss making space for more Black voices and pushing the creative envelope with National Black Theatre Artistic Director Jonathan McCrory.
Facilitator: Jonathan McCrory
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Lunch Break
Food is available for purchase on-site, or visit Where to Eat.
Please note: Only food purchased on-site may be consumed on-site.
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM
15 Minutes With Marlon James
When Marlon James puts pen to paper, the world wins. His books weave threads of intrigue, history, the violent nature of people, the supernatural and sexuality set in colonized or post-colonized Jamaica. Born in Jamaica in 1970, he is the author of The New York Times bestseller Black Leopard, Red Wolf, which was a finalist for the National Book Award for fiction in 2019. His novel A Brief History of Seven Killings won the 2015 Man Booker Prize. It was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. It won the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature for fiction, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for fiction, the Minnesota Book Award, and was a New York Times Notable Book.
3:35 PM - 4:20 PM
Why Does Our Wokeness Scare You? History in Context: Erasure, Violence and Fear
The attempt at Black erasure is not new. While 21st-century perpetrators seem different, the language more sophisticated, and the delivery systems more advanced, hate and racism still exist at the core and transport us to the past. We’ve seen all of this before. Nikole Hannah-Jones, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Dr. Yaba Blay, and Michael Harriot discuss erasure, banned books, the attempt to turn back time, and the hijacking of wokeness, a long-standing call to action in the Black community.
Facilitator: Jelani Cobb
4:25 PM - 4:40 PM
Performance: Endea Owens
Known as one of Jazz’s most vibrant emerging artists, Endea Owens is a Detroit-raised recording artist, bassist, and composer. She has toured and performed with Wynton Marsalis, Jennifer Holliday, Diana Ross, Rhonda Ross, Solange, Jon Batiste, to name a few. In 2018, Endea graduated from The Juilliard School, and joined the Late Show with Stephen Colbert as a member of the house band, Stay Human. Since then, Endea has won an Emmy, Grammy, and George Foster Peabody Award. Endea’s work has appeared on Jon Batiste’s Grammy Award-winning album We Are, the Oscar-nominated film Judas and the Black Messiah, and H.E.R’s widely acclaimed Super Bowl LV performance.
4:45 PM - 5:15 PM
The Art of Play: Black Athletes in the 21st Century
From the time the doors were kicked down to allow Black athletes to compete professionally in the mid-20th century, these athletes have dominated the fields and courts. Their undeniable excellence has ushered in new generations of record-breakers, community builders, business leaders and activists.
Bomani Jones and Jemele Hill are two of the most exciting voices in sports entertainment. They’re not only masterful in their sports commentary but are equally masterful in their ability to call out racism and speak to the double standards of Black athletes in sports. The duo sits down to discuss the Art of Play.
Facilitator: To Be Announced
5:20 PM - 6:05 PM
Breaking Bread: Black Food, Cultural Memory and Communal Empowerment
Ghetto Gastro, Carla Hall, and Stephen Satterfield
Millie Peartree leads an all-star panel of chefs, culturalists and storytellers on exploring Black food, its cultural importance and how it connects us to the past while defining our future. From Africa to Europe and the New World, the history of Black food, like Black people, is a journey of endurance, adaptation and excellence.
Facilitator: Millie Peartree
6:05 PM - 6:15 PM
Break
6:15 PM - 6:50 PM
Kerry Washington - Thicker Than Water
Kerry Washington, Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates sits with Kerry Washington to discuss her new memoir, Thicker than Water. In the book, Washington gives readers an intimate view of her public and private worlds—as a mother, daughter, wife, artist, advocate, and trailblazer. Chronicling her upbringing and life’s journey thus far, she reveals how she faced a series of challenges and setbacks, effectively hid childhood traumas, met extraordinary mentors, managed to grow her career, and crossed the threshold into stardom and political advocacy, ultimately discovering her truest self and, with it, a deeper sense of belonging.
6:55 PM - 7:00 PM
Ta-Nehisi Coates Closing Remarks
12:00 PM - 12:05 PM
Apollo Welcome
Kamilah Forbes, Executive Producer, The Apollo
12:05 PM - 12:15 PM
Opening Remarks
Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Apollo’s Artist in Residence
12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
The Courage To Survive
Salamishah Tillet, Scheherazade Tillet, Ted Bunch
Facilitator: Jelani Cobb
35% percent of Black women experience some form of sexual violence during their lifetime. Journalists Jelani Cobb and Salamishah Tillet, Long Walk Home’s Scheherazade Tillet and A Call To Men’s Ted Bunch explore the role sexual exploitation plays in violence against Black communities, the harm that sexual abuse inflicts on those who live at the intersection of racism and sexism and what we can do to support victims of gender-based violence, prevent it, and build a better future.
12:55 PM - 1:25 PM
Performance - Stefon Harris
Always curious about the various aspects of human connection, award-winning jazz vibraphonist Stefon Harris developed software that allows audiences to improvise unpredictable harmony in tandem with artist-created melody and rhythm, resulting in a unique collaboration between audience members via the software and the artists. Stefon and a group of musicians demonstrate how the technology works. This project was developed as part of The Apollo’s New Works initiative.
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
Telling New Stories on Broadway
New stories and aspects of Black life are increasingly being represented on Broadway. Who can deny the fresh takes of Fat Ham, A Strange Loop, Skeleton Crew, Ain’t No Mo’ and Eclipsed? Broadway heavy hitters Liesl Tommy, Michael R. Jackson, Jordan E. Cooper and Dominique Morisseau discuss making space for more Black voices and pushing the creative envelope with National Black Theatre Artistic Director Jonathan McCrory.
Facilitator: Jonathan McCrory
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Lunch Break
Food is available for purchase on-site, or visit Where to Eat.
Please note: Only food purchased on-site may be consumed on-site.
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM
15 Minutes With Marlon James
When Marlon James puts pen to paper, the world wins. His books weave threads of intrigue, history, the violent nature of people, the supernatural and sexuality set in colonized or post-colonized Jamaica. Born in Jamaica in 1970, he is the author of The New York Times bestseller Black Leopard, Red Wolf, which was a finalist for the National Book Award for fiction in 2019. His novel A Brief History of Seven Killings won the 2015 Man Booker Prize. It was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. It won the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature for fiction, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for fiction, the Minnesota Book Award, and was a New York Times Notable Book.
3:35 PM - 4:20 PM
Why Does Our Wokeness Scare You? History in Context: Erasure, Violence and Fear
The attempt at Black erasure is not new. While 21st-century perpetrators seem different, the language more sophisticated, and the delivery systems more advanced, hate and racism still exist at the core and transport us to the past. We’ve seen all of this before. Nikole Hannah-Jones, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Dr. Yaba Blay, and Michael Harriot discuss erasure, banned books, the attempt to turn back time, and the hijacking of wokeness, a long-standing call to action in the Black community.
Facilitator: Jelani Cobb
4:25 PM - 4:40 PM
Performance: Endea Owens
Known as one of Jazz’s most vibrant emerging artists, Endea Owens is a Detroit-raised recording artist, bassist, and composer. She has toured and performed with Wynton Marsalis, Jennifer Holliday, Diana Ross, Rhonda Ross, Solange, Jon Batiste, to name a few. In 2018, Endea graduated from The Juilliard School, and joined the Late Show with Stephen Colbert as a member of the house band, Stay Human. Since then, Endea has won an Emmy, Grammy, and George Foster Peabody Award. Endea’s work has appeared on Jon Batiste’s Grammy Award-winning album We Are, the Oscar-nominated film Judas and the Black Messiah, and H.E.R’s widely acclaimed Super Bowl LV performance.
4:45 PM - 5:15 PM
The Art of Play: Black Athletes in the 21st Century
From the time the doors were kicked down to allow Black athletes to compete professionally in the mid-20th century, these athletes have dominated the fields and courts. Their undeniable excellence has ushered in new generations of record-breakers, community builders, business leaders and activists.
Bomani Jones and Jemele Hill are two of the most exciting voices in sports entertainment. They’re not only masterful in their sports commentary but are equally masterful in their ability to call out racism and speak to the double standards of Black athletes in sports. The duo sits down to discuss the Art of Play.
Facilitator: To Be Announced
5:20 PM - 6:05 PM
Breaking Bread: Black Food, Cultural Memory and Communal Empowerment
Ghetto Gastro, Carla Hall, and Stephen Satterfield
Millie Peartree leads an all-star panel of chefs, culturalists and storytellers on exploring Black food, its cultural importance and how it connects us to the past while defining our future. From Africa to Europe and the New World, the history of Black food, like Black people, is a journey of endurance, adaptation and excellence.
Facilitator: Millie Peartree
6:05 PM - 6:15 PM
Break
6:15 PM - 6:50 PM
Kerry Washington - Thicker Than Water
Kerry Washington, Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates sits with Kerry Washington to discuss her new memoir, Thicker than Water. In the book, Washington gives readers an intimate view of her public and private worlds—as a mother, daughter, wife, artist, advocate, and trailblazer. Chronicling her upbringing and life’s journey thus far, she reveals how she faced a series of challenges and setbacks, effectively hid childhood traumas, met extraordinary mentors, managed to grow her career, and crossed the threshold into stardom and political advocacy, ultimately discovering her truest self and, with it, a deeper sense of belonging.
6:55 PM - 7:00 PM
Ta-Nehisi Coates Closing Remarks
Sunday, October 8, 2023
The Apollo’s Historic Theater
12:00pm-7:00pm
With Sounds Curated by DJ Stormin' Norman
1:30 PM
Youth Poets & Writers
Experience the transformative power of the written and spoken word from Urban Word youth poets who are “equipped to harness their power as leaders at the intersection of the literary arts and civic engagement”. Youth poets share poems inspired by [at] The Intersection.
2:30 PM
Afro-Caribbean Electronic Improvisation
Award-winning vocalists and musicians Mimi Jones, Val Jeanty, and Candice Hoyes, join together as Nite Bjuti, (inspired by Haitian folklore called “Night Beauty”) and give voice to the experiences of Black Women across generations. They join us [at] the Intersection blending electronics, vocalism, bass, Haitian drum rhythms, sampling, spoken word, community building and social justice at the heels of the release of their debut album, Nite Bjuti.
3:30 PM
Acoustic Sounds and Storytelling
Award-winning composer/performer Justin Hicks and Tony-nominated actor/singer Kenita R. Miller, share stories at the intersection of parenthood, Black Broadway and their family singing group,
The HawtPlates.